Fiber-cleansing apparatus



(No Model.) I

s. B. ALLISON. V FIBER CLEANSING APPARATUS.

No. 596,199. Patentd Dec. 28. 1897.

S BAZZison, M0,; 1M4

WOT/W016 ma NORRIS FKTERS co, moroumo" WASHiNGTON. n. c.

NITE STATES FIBER-CLEANSING APPARATUS.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 596,199, dated December 28, 1897.

Application filed July 2'7, 1896. Serial No. 600,655. (No model.)

To aZZ whom it may concern.-

Be it known that I, SAMUEL BENJIMAN AL- LISON, a resident of New Orleans, in the parish of Orleans and State of Louisiana, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Fiber-Cleansing Apparatus; and I do hereby declare the following to be a full, clear, and eXact description of the invention, such as will enable others skilled in the art to which it pertains to make and use the same.

The invention relates to apparatus for cleaning ramie fiber and the like after it has been separated from the main woody portion of the stalks; and its object is to provide efficient and economical means for removing gum and woody particles from such fiber; and it consists in the construction hereinafter described and particularly pointed out,

In the accompanying drawing the figure is a vertical central section.

Numeral 1 indicates a vessel conveniently made of sheet metal. In the lower part of this vessel are fixed' two partitions or floors, (indicated respectively by 2 and 3.) These partitions, together with the adjacent porvtion of the wall of the vessel, constitute a water-receptacle 4:, having several inlets 5 and two or more outlet-pipes 6.

'7 denotes a pipe to supply water to a cleansing-chamber 8, situated above the floor 2,

whence it flows through openings 5 to the receptacle or boiler proper (indicated by 4.)

7 denotes a draw-off cock.

9 denotes a door to give access to chamber 8. This door will preferably be packed practically water-tight, particularly about its bottom. It is made relatively large and extends from the bottom of the fiber-holding chamber S to near the top of the vessel to provide free ing-hood l1.

access to the chamber and to filters and other devices and also to facilitate drying, as hereinafter described. I

The pipes 6 extend through a perforated fluid-distributing partition or floor 10 and are adapted to. conduct the boiling solution up and discharge it immediately below a deflect- Thesepipes are heated by their proximity to the exit-flue. Instead of using separate pipes a single pipe surrounding the exit-pipe may be used. 4 The circulation of fluids up through pipes 6 and down through chamber Sand passages fibrous filtering material 20".

5 is determined by the heating of said pipes in consequence of their proximity to the exitpipe for the hot products of combustion and bythe fact that a current up through passages 5 is partially obstructed by the fibrous material in chamber 8. The hood 11 diverts ascending fluids outwardly over the floor 10, which latter acts as a steam-condenser and liquid-distributor. The even distribution of liquid is furtherinsured by the pans 20,which also strain it and prevent the return of fine particles of wood to the fiber.

12 denotes a perforated fioor to aid in condensing steam that may be developed between it and the floor 10.

13 denotes a steam-escape valve opening at any desired pressure, and 14 denotes pipes opening above floor 12 and communicating with a horizontal pipe 15. This is furnished with a pressure-regulator valve 16, counterbalanced by means of a weighted lever 17.

18 is a gas-inlet pipe by which a bleachinggas can be passed at will from any suitable holder or generator into the vessel, the valve 16 being adapted to regulate its pressure.

When the apparatus is used for bleaching, the gas-pressure-regulating valve will ordinarily prevent a dangerous degree of pressure; but should the valve fail to work the safetyvalve obviates excessive pressure in the vessel. The same valve also protects it during the Washing process.

Below the floor 10 are removable draining or filtering pans 20, having fine-wire-gauze bottoms 20. They may also be supplied with These pans can be removed and replaced through the door 9.

21 denotes a gasolene-holder comm unicating with burners 22, situated in a combustionchamber 23. Air-inlets provided with suitable dampers are shown at 24, and 25 is a draft-flue or smoke-exit.

26 denotes a cock in the gasolene-burner supply-pipe. Upon opening this cock and igniting the gasolene at the burners in the usual manner heat is generated to boil water or solutions previously admitted from chamber 8 to fill the chamber 4. Boiling liquid thereupon rises through pipes 6 and is defiected by the hood 11 and distributed by the perforated floor 10 and filtering-pans 20 upon the ribbons of fiber suitably disposed in chamber S. In case the steam-pressure rises above a desired limit the escape-valve automatically opens. The hood is supported upon and surrounds the heating-pipe 25 and extends over both overflow-pipes and is situated at some distance above them, so as to provide for spreading the fluid on all sides without checking or interfering with the discharge from the pipes. The liquid flowing through the material in chamber 8 is returned to the receptacle or boiler l through openings 5 and the circulation is maintained until the fiber has been cleaned from gum and woody particles. The latter are arrested by the filtering-pans, which can be removed and cleaned after a quantity of fiber has been washed. The dirty washing solution is removed by means of the d raw-off cock '7. This cock provides for removing the cleansing fluid withoutdisturbing the fiber preparatory to the bleaching and drying operations.

To bleach the fiber, a suitable gas is admitted through pipe 18 under pressure, which may be regulated by means of the weighted valve. lhis operation can be performed after the washing and after the fiber has been drained of moisture and partially dried, which drying may be hastened, if desired by maintaining the fire after receptacle 4. is emptied of liquid, the outer door 0 being left open to permit air circulation.

llaving thus described my invention, What I claim as new, and desire to see u re by Letters Patent, is-

1. In an apparatus for cleansing fiber, the vessel 1 provided with a chamber 8 to receive the material and covered by a perforated floor, a water-chamber l communicating with said chamber 8 by inlets 5, overflow-pipes (3 whereby the water-chamber and the space above said perforated floor communicate, a perforated steam-condensingiloor12,a steamcscape valve and means to heat the waterchamber, all substantially as described.

V J. In an apparatus for cleansing fiber, the vessel 1 having a floor 2 provided with outlets 5 and a lloor 3 inclosing between itself and floor 2 a liquid-holding chamber a said vessel having Iilteringpans 2O situated in the upper part of a chamber 8 between a perforated floor 10- and said floor 2, a centrallysituated heating-flue 25, and overflow-pipes 6 adjacent said flue, all substantially as described whereby a liquid can be circulated up through the pipes, and discharged through a strainer into said chamber 8 and drained therefrom.

3. In an apparatus for cleansing fiber, the vessel 1 having a floor 2 provided with outlets 5 and a floor 3 inclosing between itself and floor 2 a liquid-holding chamber 4. said vessel having liltering-pans 2O situated in the upper part of a chamber 8 between a perforated fioor l0 and said floor 2, a centrallysituated heating-flue 25, and overflow-pipes 6 adjacent said flue, a perforated floor 10 situated above the filtering-pans and a hood ll surrounding the heating-pipe and extending over the overflow-pipes and adapted to spread liquid 011 all sides upon said floor 10, substantially as described.

l. In an apparatus for cleaning fiber, the vessel 1 having floors 2 and 5 inclosing a liquid-chamber 4:, a floor 10 situated above said floor 2, filtering devices immediately below said floor 10, a chamber 8 above said floor 2 containing the filters, means for circulating liquid from chamber 4 to the space above fioor 10 and a door extending from near the floor 2 to above said floor 1.0 to give direct access to said floor, to the filters and to the main chamber and to facilitate the drying of the fiber and filters, substantially as described.

5. In an apparatus for cleansing fiber, a vessel, a fiber-holdin g chamber con taincd between the fioors of the vessel, means for heating its contents, pipes forcirculatinga liquid through said chamber and discharging it upon said contents, a filter, a draw-oil cock, and means for freely circulating air through said chamber, said means comprising the heaiin g devices and an airqiassage, substantially as described.

In testimony whereof I have signed this specification in the presence of two subscribing witnesses.

SAMUEL BENJIIVIAN ALLISON.

Witnesses:

F. D. BILLINe'roN, 'W. R. Rrcnannson. 

